Compare the2022 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kona Electric are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Kona Electric and the XC40 Recharge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kona Electric the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 136 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XC40 Recharge has not been tested, yet.

The Kona Electric comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XC40 Recharge’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40 Recharge. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 Recharge ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona Electric’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 12 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the XC40 Recharge (132 city/108 hwy vs. 92 city/79 hwy MPGe).

The Kona Electric’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 258 miles on a full charge, 16% further than the XC40 Recharge’s 223-mile range.

The Kona Electric has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The XC40 Recharge’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XC40 Recharge’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Hyundai Kona Electric may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1050 pounds less than the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

The Kona Electric is 8.6 inches shorter than the XC40 Recharge, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Hyundai Kona Electric amounts to more than styling. The Kona Electric has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is significantly lower than the XC40 Recharge (.329) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Kona Electric get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Kona Electric uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona Electric has .6 inches more front headroom and .6 inches more front legroom than the XC40 Recharge.

The Kona Electric has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Kona Electric has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Kona Electric Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Kona Electric, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kona was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The XC40 Recharge has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Volvo XC40 by over three to one during the 2021 model year.